A steam system iron produces steam which is generally directed towards a garment to remove creases from the garment. Such a steam system iron or steam generator iron has a base unit and a head unit. The base unit has a water chamber in which a quantity of water is stored. Water is fed from the water chamber to a steam generator to convert the water into pressurized steam. A flexible hose extends between the base unit and the head unit through which steam produced by the steam generator is fed to the head unit.
The head unit is held by a user and has a sole plate which is pressed against the fabric of a garment. Pressurized steam generated by the steam generator in the base unit flows along the hose to the head unit and is discharged from the head unit through holes in the sole plate which is then applied to a fabric of a garment to remove creases from the fabric.
Water in the water chamber is fed to the steam generator by a fluid pump. The steam generator then heats the water fed from the water chamber to convert the water into steam at a high pressure, which is then exhausted from the steam generator through a steam outlet to the flexible hose.
To fill the water chamber with a quantity of water, an opening is provided in the housing of the water chamber through which water is fed.
However, a problem with providing a water inlet to the water chamber is that water is able to leak through the opening defining the water inlet when the base unit is tilted from its normal orientation. For example, with some system irons it is known to mount the head unit to the base unit for transportation and storage. During transportation the assembled unit may be held by a handle of the head unit. This causes the base unit to tilt with respect to its normal operating position. Therefore, water in the water chamber in the base unit flows towards the water inlet and is able to spill from the base unit.
It is known to provide a one-way valve to prevent water leakage through the water inlet to the water chamber. However, existing valves tend to have a complicated arrangement.